Device for moistening gummed surfaces



Aug 27, 1935.

o. M. GILLNER 2,012,604 DEVICE FOR MOISTENING GUMMED SURFACES Filed March 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 5 .1 h

@J hr-n HIS ATTORNEVS 2 1935. o. M. GILLNER 2,012,604

DEVICE FOR MOISTENING GUMMED SURFACES Filed March 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORZ Y @ywd amw 261 41.11

'HIS ATfiORNEYS Patented Aug.'27, 1935 7 DEVICE Fort mors'rnmivaournuno Q; SURFACES;

V Otto M. GillnenRockvilleCentre; NiY;

Application March 2,

This invention relates to a simple, inexpensive and-effective-device for moistening gummed surfaces as, for instance, those to be found on stamps, labels, tape, etc: Devices intended for this purpose are, of course; -well--known. Such known devices, -l1owever, are not satisfactory in use and, for the most part, are not simple and inexpensive. The principal condition sought to be satisfied by the inventionis the uniformmoistening of the gummed surface without the application of so much water asto remove the gum and impair adhesion as is frequently the case in devices nowirl use. A further object'of the invention is to provide] a device-by means of which the gummed surface can quickly and conveniently' be moisteneduniformly throughout its entire area by a very simpleand obvious motion of the operator, Still a further object is to ac complish the result indicated while atthe same time pressing the gummedsurface against the moistening means yieldingly and with a force which is kept within predetermined limits. A

further object of the invention is to provide; an'

improved moistening element'whose saturation is of the most favorable character for the purpose, by reason of its inherent properties, and which can be moved readily to present different portions to the'gurnmed surface. 'A-further object of the invention is V a support for rolls of gummed articles; in such relation to the gumming mechanism as will enable the strips to be readily moistened and severed in a most'convenient manner byithe operator. A further object'of the invention is to provide an improved presser bar for pressing the gummed surface onto the moistening element yieldingly, stops being providedto check the movement of thepresserbar;

These and'other objects of the invention will appear at greater length hereinafter in connecshown in the accompanying drawi'ngs,'-wherein:

Figure'l is a view in plan of theimproved device. Figure 2 is aview in front elevation thereof showing thefrelation of the-presser bar to the moistening element, a part of the "reservoir being broken away.

Figure 3 is a view in transverse section, through the reservoir and moistening' element and show: ing the presser bar and base in end elevation. j

' The device includes'a base wwhich carries *or has formed therewith a reservoir a' within which is contained the moistening liquid such a'siwater to provide in the device tion with the description of the embodiment.

malarial-r10; 1.13.639 s Claims- (c1."91"--14.5 i

rectangular: shape,- its length being such" as to accommodate articles to be moistened having predetermined maximum width. .The top of the reservoir is open. ..The end wallsof. the reservoir may .be-recessed at their top edges as indicated at 0.2 toreceive and-support a bar 0 which' carries; the a "endless moistening element d which hangs down" within the reservoir and'into the water I). The supportingba-rcfor themoistening; element: d is preferably of rectangular shape and it is evident that it-maybe lifted from its journals androtated 1809- 111"order tobring up into exposed position a fresh section of-the moist'ening element at. This may fbe desirable when ever the exposed surface of the moisteningele mentbecomes a little gummyf When this section is thus moved downwardly into contact water it loses"its-gumminess.

The base -'a may have associated any desiredmanner -an upwardly extending With the therewith in 1 bracket e on -whi'ch is pivotally mounted an arm "f." In the illustrated embodiment the brackete isshown ashaving a flat leg e which may be engagedwithagroove 11 extending trans versely across the underside of jthe base --a. By

this engagement it is evident-that'-thebracket ej will nonnaIlybe in the 'desired relation to the base'and may beconveniently disengaged therefrom when the parts are to be shipped. At the forward end of the arm? is-supported a presser "bar 9 on'the lower edge ofwhich is mounted a yielding strip g of 'material such as rubber. 'At each end of the presser-bar'- is a downwardly extending cane adapted Lto engage. Wlth th8 iendpf the. supporting bar -0 for the moistening elementid; Normally, the presser! bar g is held out 'of.:engagement .withxthe surfacel 'of-the moistening element d by mea'nsrof aspring h' opera- 'tively interposed between the' brack'et :ie and the end of theisiipporting lever 2 The same condition may-gofcourse; be accomplished by weighting the. reaiii'endi of the arms}; L'A knob 7 may be provided onathe arm I in proximityto-the'presser V n a *5 the bracket ie mayxb'e supported "a. rod 1' bangto facilitatedepression:of the arm 7 against the action of :the spring 'h;-':-. 7

which may I extend generally in parallelism with the reservoir a'=. ,On this bar ii may bemounted one or more spools is carrying rolls Tofpaper or fabrichaving a gummed surface 1.;

' In use, emphasis is to'be placed on the uniform moistening the gumme'd surface withinf desir'- able limits and theavoidance .of overewetting.

Emphasis is 'als'o' to be pla'cecr onthesconvenience indicated at 'b. Thereservoiris preferablyo:

obtainable in}. moistening gummedi surfaces by a as" I reason of the simple nature of the device.

med surface is the character of themoistening element. It has been found that a, fabric such as felt will be moistened by capillarity to a desired degree when the lower end isimmersed in water. Such a moistening element does not carry a great deal of water. By providing a yielding member of on the presser bar 9 the article whose gummed surface, is.;.to be moistened is pressed yieldingly against the m'bistening" element cl'which itselfis yieldable so that there is avoided squeezing of the moisturefrom the m-oistenin'gt" --the surface to bemoistened into pressure contact '-with the said moistening member and a stop element. This condition is maintained by pro v viding'the stops 9 on the presser bar so that-the" 'actualforce impressed on the articlebeing gum-i med is kept within predetermined limits thereby assuring that an excess of moisturelwill'notnbe the said presser bar and to provide substantially applied to the gummed surface. As indicatedin Figure 1 an envelope may have its gumnied surface readily presented to' the moistening element and be pressed thereagainstuniformly forvwetting throughout by depressingithe presser bar and bringing the yieldingelement'g'.against the .ungummed surf-ace of the envelope. With the parts in this relation the ,operator merely withdraws the envelope audit will be'foundth'at every portion of the gummed=surface has'be'enuniformly,

butnot excessively,gmoistened; V 7

Where, as is often the casein larger organizations, gummed tape :is used in greatiquantityor gummed labels or rolls ;of stamps are to be 'mois- I ten'ed frequentlmthe, device lends itself particularly to such 11581345 clearlyshow'n in- Figure 3. Guide railsa a, are shown as mounted on the reservoir in spaced 'relation'thereto with respect to thefront and back walls. The strip from the roll I; is threaded through the bar. a c arried over the exposed surfaceof the moistening element at and threaded through V the bar can-When the strip is drawn forwardly its gummed surface will be carried-acrossthe face of themoistening element and when a stripof {desired length has thus been withdrawn it can'be severed readily by using the bar a asa straight edge. for tearing; 7 Changes in details of constructionandarrangement ofparts will suggest themselves to the skilled mechanicjw'ithout' depart ng from the invention so long as the operative relation of elements; is

retained and the resultssecured byan'assembly which is characterized by the simplicity of that contemplated. I 4 .7 r

I claim as my invention: v.

1; An applicating device comprising a contain er having walls forming an;openingv.extending upwardly vand adapted to hold: a 'liquid,2a bar membenand a :moistening member of predetermined thicknessiextending .over said bar. member freely into the liquid in. said container; meansifor supporting said bar member permitting the bar member to be. turned to exposenew surfaces of thesaid moistening. member and forming: a solid base or foundation surface each: position of the bar member supporting saidmoistening member, a presser bar for iholding the surface to be moistened. into, pressure contact rwith :the'said moistening membera'nda stop member in a po- .sition with relation'to' said predetermined thickness of the moistening member .to limit the movement of engagement of said presser bar to provide substantially. uniform pressure of contact of 5 the article "being moistenedfiwith thesaid moistening member.-.

2 An applicating device. comprising'a 'cong V mentpfgthe saidipresser bar so-as, to provide tainer having walls forming. an opening extending upwardly and adapted to hold a liquid, a bar member and a moistening member of predetermined thickness extending over said bar member and freely into the liquid in said container means for supporting said bar member permitting'the bar memberto be turned to expose new surfaces strip of material mounted on the lower edge of said presser bar, said strip being adapted to hold member mounted in a position with relation to said predetermined thickness of the moistening member to limit the movement of engagement of uniformpressure of contact of the article being 'moistenedwith the said moistening member;v

position fresh sections of the said moistening member, said bar member forming a solid base or 'foundation 'surface for supporting said mois tening member in each position of the bar mem ber, abracket attached to said container, a presser bar pivotally attached to said bracket and adapted for holding the surface tobe moistened into pressure. contact with the said moistening mernbcr and stop members on each sideofsaid presser bar for limiting the movement of engagement ofthe said presser bar so as to provide substantially uni- 7 form pressure of contact of the surface being "moistened with the said moistening member.

4. An applicatingdevice. in accordance with 'claim 3 inwhich said bar member is supported at its ends upon said container by meansof grooves in the bar cooperating with recesses in 'the top edges of the-said container, and having extending portions adapted to cooperate with the said stop members on said presser bar so as to proyide uniform pressure engagement of the surface of -theaitrc1e beingmoistened with the moisten- .ina imb n 5, An applicatingdevice comprising'a container 7 having'walls forming an opening extending up.-

wardly and adaptedto hold a-liquid, a bar memher and a moistening member of predetermined thickness extending over saidbar member, and

freely into theliquid in said container, meansfor supporting sa'id bar member permitting .the bar member to be turned to expose new surfacesof the said moistening "member and forming a solid base or foundation surface in each position of moistening member, a support attached to said bracket member, a roll of material having a gummed surface carried ,byrsaid support and adapted to'bepassed over saidmoistening mem ber and a stop member in a position with relant-ion to the predetermined thickness of the mois teningimember'tolimit themovement of engage the bar member supporting said moistening memsurface of the article being faces of the said moistening member and form-- ing a solidbase or foundation surface in'each p.0-

' sition of the bar member supporting said moistening member, a bracket member associated with said container, a presser bar pivotally mounted on said bracket member for holding the surface to'be moistened into pressure contact with the said moistening member, a support attached to'said lbracket member, a roll of material having a' gummed surface carried by said support, a guide bar connected to said container through which'a" strip from the said roll may be threaded and carried over the exposed surface of said moistening member, a second guide'bar for severing portions of the strip which have been moistened and a stop, member in a' position with relation to the predetermined thickness of the moistening memher to limit the movement of engagement ofthe'" said presser barso as to provide substantially uniform pressure contact of the surface of the article being moistened with the said moistening member.

7. An applicating device comprising a con- 'tainer having walls forming an opening extending upwardly and adapted to hold a liquid, a bar member and a moistening member of predetermined thickness extending over said barmember and freely into the liquid in said container, means for supporting said bar member permitting the bar member to be turned to expose new surfaces of the said moistening member and forminga solid base or foundation surface in each position of the bar member supporting said moistening member, a bracketrmember associated with said container, a presser bar pivotally mounted on said bracket member for holding thejsurface V r to be moistened 'into pressureecontact with the said'moistening member, a support attached to said bracket member for carrying a roll of mate rial having a gummed surface, a guide bar connected to said container through .which a strip from the said roll may be threaded and carried over the exposed surface of said moistening member, a second guide bar connected to said I l container, throughiwhich'the said strip is passed for severing portions of the strip which have been moistened,'a spring element for normally retaining the said presser bar in raised position member to limit the movement of engagement of and a stop member in a position with relation to i ,the predetermined thickness of the moistening 5 the said presser bar so as to provide substantially" uniform pressure contact of the surface of the article being moistened with the said moistening member.

ing upwardly and adapted to hold a liquid, a bar member and a moistening member of predetermined thickness extending over said bar memher and freely into theliquid in said container,

the bar member to be turned to expose new surfaces of'the said moistening member and formt g ing a solid base or foundation surface in each position of the bar member'supporting said moisl Y 8.'An applicating. device comprising a con-' tainer having walls forming an'opening extendmeans for supporting said bar member permitting teningmember, a press'er bar pivotally'mounted for holding thesurface tobe moistened into pressurec'ontactwith the said moistening member, a support for carryinga roll of material having a gummed'surfacega guide bar for SeV81ing' P 1 tions of the said roll which have been moistened,

and a stop member in a position with relation to the predetermined thickness of the moistening member to limit themovement of engagement of ,-the said presser-bar so as to provide substantially a uniform pressure contact of the s'urface'ofthe article'being. moistened with thesaid moistening .member. 1

o'r'ro- M. 1 GILLNERL. 

